Various types of medical imaging modalities are available to the diagnostician and medical practitioner. These modalities each have comparative benefits and comparative drawbacks in different applications. So, one modality may be useful for one type of testing or one aspect of imaging, and another modality may be useful for another type of testing or imaging aspect. As such, there it is often the case that more than one imaging system may be used in medical imaging for the purposes of diagnosis, or treatment, or both.
One useful type of medical imaging involves spin-resonance imaging known commonly as magnetic resonance imaging or MRI. MRI imaging devices have evolved significantly and now provide real-time scanning with excellent resolution and detail. Often, MR scanners provide a plurality of ‘two-dimensional’ images, or image slices, which can be examined directly, or may be reconstructed using suitable reconstruction software (e.g., a graphic user interface (GUI)) to replicate a three dimensional image on a two-dimensional display.
While MRIs provide excellent imaging capabilities, invasive testing during MRI scanning can be complicated and expensive. For example, in many cases, it is useful to obtain a tissue sample via a procedure known as a biopsy. Unfortunately, while the resolution and real-time imaging provided by the MRI is useful in properly identifying a region of tissue to sample, biopsy procedures would take a great deal of time using the MRI modality. This translates directly into increased patient cost.
Ultrasonic imaging is another useful modality for medical testing in imaging. Ultrasound (US) imaging, among other benefits, allows for comparatively fast imaging, fostering in-situ testing (e.g., biopsy testing) and treatment. While US image resolution has greatly improved, it remains inadequate for certain testing and treatment procedures.
There is a need, therefore, for a method, apparatus and system that overcome at least the shortcoming of known imaging devices and methods discussed above.